Women's Dress and Trouser Socks: Knee Highs To Ankle Socks Which Length is Right For You?

Since the dawn of mankind feet have been wrapped for safety and warmth. Cave drawings suggest that animal skins were used for foot protection. It is interesting to note that the Romans were the first people to sew woven fabrics and create fitted socks, which were known as udones. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages, however, that socks started to become a fashion statement. Socks evolved with society, whilst they were detrimental in keeping everyone’s feet warm, they were also considered a status symbol, the nobility would wear fine silk stockings and peasants woollen socks. Fast forward to the twenty-first century and thanks to modern knitting machines luxury socks are now accessible to common folk as well as royalty! With quality socks within our reach, price point, may not be hindering us but rather the myriad of endless styles, colours and patterns making it difficult for us to decide just which sock is best! We have taken the guesswork away for you and bared our favourite styles to dress your feet.

One important detail to consider when buying socks is the length, how long or short your socks should be will depend on two main factors:

• Shoe type
• Weather

Shoe Type

It would seem in this new fashion age that mostly any sock can be worn with any shoe. If comfort, however, is your priority, consider longer socks, either knee highs or over the knee socks for long boots. Crew socks for ankle boots and sandals, (yes wearing socks with sandals is a thing)! Sockettes and ankle protectors for sneakers and ballerina flats. Of course which length you opt for is personal preference but pairing these lengths with the suggested footwear will fit more snugly and keep your socks at the height you want. 

Weather

It may sound obvious but weather should be considered when choosing a sock length. For people who like to have snug warm legs during winter then the obvious choices are over the knee socks. For hotter weather no show socks or foot protectors will help your feet transpire and stay cool.

Choosing the right socks for your shoes will also depend on the denier of your socks. The denier refers to the weight of the yarn used to weave the socks. Generally speaking, a thicker sock would be best suited to boot like shoes and a thinner denier, such as a sheer sock would work well with a refined shoe such as high heel shoes.

The repeated lament regarding thigh highs or stay ups, as they are referred to in Australia, is that they in fact do not stay up! Indeed this is true of many brands, that is why Italian thigh highs are highly sought after, because, unlike many of their counterparts they do remain in place thanks to the superior silicone layer that holds them firmly in place. If you would like to know more about how to wear a stay up, read our blog, How Do I Keep My Stay Ups From Falling Down. As they are not joined at the crotch many people consider stay ups to be just a very long sock and for that purpose we have included two of our favourite styles here. Autoreggente Sacha,(autoreggente is the Italian term for stay ups), really does resemble a long sock thanks to the cable knit pattern and with a one hundred and twenty denier count it is one of the warmest thigh highs you will find anywhere! The Sacha style is stunning in long boots with its vertical design, a standout! In contrast, Camellia, thigh highs, by Oroblu are a sheer twenty denier, lightweight and elegantly decorated with a rambling vine of roses. Perfectly suited to short hemlines and elegant high heeled shoes, these are an all season choice, for when making an unforgettable impression is paramount.

                                       Camellia Flower sheer stay ups & Sacha knit stay ups

When over-the-knees-socks are designed correctly they will make your legs seem longer, something all of us shorter women, often wish for — longer legs! Maxi Calza, as they are named in Italy, can flatter your legs, whilst keeping you warm at the same time. Similar to stay ups in length but with one main difference being, that over- the- knees, are very much like a sock, they don’t have silicone to hold them in place but instead an elasticised top. Our fifty denier Maxi Calza will elegantly caress your legs thanks to their special micro touch weave, making you feel like you have stepped into velvet, a classic look that is right on trend. Wearing these also, with short hemlines and long or short boots will  give equally eye pleasing results. A more funky look is the Janet Paragina over-the-knees with their open weave pattern, you will also love the softness and warmth they produce. As well as enhancing your outfit, over-the knee-socks can be layered for warmth under long pants or even tights as an extra layer, a great idea if you are forever shivering in the colder seasons. Be it for fashion or extra warmth an over- the-knee-sock is a useful hosiery item to have on hand.

Paragina Janet & Maxi Calza 50 are long over-knee-socks that will keep legs warm

No longer considered just for keeping feet safe and warm and not just hidden under pants, knee highs have recently enjoyed a second life primarily as a fashion item. This has paved the way for stylists to let loose and throw caution to the wind. Today we are spoilt for choice, be it colour, print or texture. These are some of our recommendations….

Let the dreaminess of Seline knee highs conjure a romantic, wistful look, with their divine lace tops, a classic black sock that has been elevated by its exquisite lacey finish. To allow their true merit shine, these sublime socks should be worn with a short hemline.

Wanting an injection of colour to contrast or pop out from a more muted tone than try the Poupee` style which comes in a majestic royal blue! Geometrically patterned these look fabulous with a short mini, this shade of blue teams well with pinks, reds as well as the classic darker tones.

The Tricot socks are made from the natural fibres of cotton oozing with loads of sophistication thanks to a shimmery silver thread running throughout the open knit pattern. The true charm of these Tricot socks are the elasticised black frill which enables the wearer to have the socks sitting at the knees or gathered down around the ankles, so depending on your choice of apparel you can choose your preferred sock length — ankle or knee height. A dual functionality all combined with breathable cotton.

Penny, another pair of elegant socks, combines a vertical weave pattern with a cutwork finish just below the top band. Undoubtedly, the soft knit will keep you warm under pants but so beautiful is the pattern that you will want to show these much more than just peeking out from under trousers. 

There is a very good reason why short crew socks are all the rage with both men and women, they are comfortable to wear and can be worn with practically any shoe and any outfit. Here are just some of our exciting short crew socks.

Oroblu Print Set Socks

Belonging to this sensational set, are four amazing prints that add vibrancy and artistry to the socks they adorn. A great gift idea, encompassing a wide range of interests from galaxy prints for space enthusiasts to text scribed socks for your literature buffs, art decor inspired patterns and even a print that pays homage to the great Italian designer Gucci —perfect for your fashionista friend! So delightful are these socks that you will find it hard to give them away!

                      Galaxy                       Tapestry                 Abstract            Baroque

              Oroblu print set socks are a selection of divine short crew socks

Flower Socks

Floral socks are perfect for softening an outfit and adding a nostalgic look. Oroblu’s Gardenia sheer socks are sublime, with a divine flower print that is enhanced with a silvery thread, so fine is the detail it gives the illusion that it has been tattooed onto your foot. These socks definitely need to be worn with an open shoe as to hide that stunning flower would be sinful! As they are a sheer sock they can easily be worn with any sandal.    

                              Oroblu Gardenia short sheer socks

Two more flower socks that we would like to highlight are Japanese Garden and Rose Garden, both are wonderfully soft, a pleasure to wear and with a black background the vividly coloured flowers and surrounding scene come to life.

     Japanese Botanic Garden & Rose Botanic Garden are luxuriously soft socks

Add a Sense of Fun with Striped & Spotty Socks

Everyone needs to have at least a few pairs of these patterned socks in their sock stash — they are just so much fun! For great, coloured striped, eye catching socks try Josette, either in a sneaker or sandal. For some sophisticated fun, choose the Bugie Infinity cotton socks. Not only are they made with a natural fibre  but the attention to detail is phenomenal. From the beautifully scalloped edges to the very fine silvery thread that shines in just the right places, elevating a humble cotton sock to dizzying heights. Another fun dot sock is Miriam, the black and white contrast is very striking.

                                      Josette                                      Infinity                                  Miriam

Ankle Socks Take Care of Feet

Ankle socks just peep out a little from your shoe, generally speaking a sneaker, so the trick is to keep it simple, usually a block colour is best. We love the Oroblu, All Colors, cotton ankle socks, not only are these comfortable but are also great value for money with a dual pack of basic black and a vibrant mint green, right on trend with this season’s Pantone colour palette.

                           Oroblu All Colors Cotton Ankle Socks beautiful in any shoe                                                                                

Stylish Foot Protectors

There are foot protectors that resemble a sad piece of cloth that you want to keep hidden and tucked away in your shoes and then there are foot protectors that you just want to show off, so divine, it is a shame to hide them! Needless to say, our foot protectors are too beautiful to be hidden away and that’s why you will find that if you feel the need you can proudly have them peeking out from your shoes. Sottopiede Princess and Sottopiede Pizzo Lace are two foot protectors too dreamy to hide away. In fact Sottopiede Pizzo Lace can’t be hidden due to a satiny ribbon that comes up from the sides and ties up around your ankle. It gives the impression of a ballerina shoe and so of course it looks wonderful with an actual ballerina shoe, or any other flat shoes for that matter. It can also jazz up a sneaker if a more casual look is what you are aiming for. The Sottopiede Princess is mostly tucked away into your shoe but if you wish, there is a sweet lace trim around the edge that can be poked out of from around the edge of your shoe. These particular foot protectors, are also luxuriously soft, thanks to a cushion that sits under your heel, which will make you feel like you are floating on clouds rather than walking on the ground.

   Take care of your feet with our stylish foot protectors!

We even have foot protectors that allow your toes to peek out, perfect for summer sandals and displaying your polished toenails! The purpose of Meg footlets is to mainly protect and if needed, hide your heels. We all know how cracked our heels can get in summer, so these are ideal for you to keep wearing your favourite summer sandals but without the embarrassment of ugly cracks at the back of your feet. You will fall in love with these because not only do they protect and hide but they also give your feet a glamorous edge as they encase them in a divine lace reminiscent of a bygone era.

All our socks have been carefully chosen for their quality and divinity. None of them are your average socks. They all possess a touch of magic that will help step your feet into a superior level of softness, colour and design. The only difficulty that remains for you is — which ones will you choose!!